Compositions that can be used to condition hair are well known. Hair conditioning compositions are intended to leave the hair manageable, soft, and shiny. Manageability is manifested as ease of combing in the wet and dry states, as well as preventing hair "fly-away" in the dry state. Most hair conditioning compositions are applied to the hair when wet, usually as an after-treatment following shampooing. More recently, two-in-one conditioning shampoos have been developed which provide cleansing and conditioning of the hair with a single composition. Both the after-treatment conditioners and the two-in-one shampoos are usually rinsed off after being allowed to remain in contact with the hair for a brief period of time, and hence, are referred to in the art as "rinse off" type compositions. While the hair conditioning compositions of the present invention may be used in rinse-off products, they are particularly directed to a "leave-on" product, i.e., one which is applied to the hair in either a wet or dry state, and is not subsequently rinsed off. Such leave-on products are typically applied to the hair from a pump-type spray dispenser in a form ranging from a mist to a liquid stream.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,374,825 discloses hair conditioning compositions comprising from about 1 to about 13% of a volatile liquid hair conditioning agent selected from hydrocarbons and silicones, from 0.1 to about 8% of a water soluble nonionic polymer thickening agent and from about 0.05 to about 4% of a cationic agent selected from quaternary ammonium salts or salts of fatty amines. The compositions of the '825 patent are in the form of emulsions.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,387,090 discloses hair conditioning compositions comprising from 1 to 99% volatile hydrocarbon or silicone and up to about 1% of a hydrophobic polymeric thickening agent. The composition optionally comprises up to about 4% of a cationic conditioning agent selected from quaternary ammonium salts and salts of fatty amines.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,711,776 disposes hair cosmetic compositions comprising 0.01 to about 20% branched quaternary ammonium salts and 0.1 to 30% oils and fats selected from higher alcohols and fatty acid monoglycerides.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,777,037 discloses hair conditioning compositions comprising 1 to 4% polydimethyl cyclosiloxane and 0.5 to 5% of a quaternary nitrogen-containing conditioning agent having two long chain alkyl groups, each of said alkyl groups having from 12 to 18 carbon atoms. Preferred compositions are said to further comprise 0.5 to 10% fatty alcohol and 0.1 to 2% of a tertiary amidoamine. The compositions of this patent are in the form of emulsions.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,784,844 discloses silicone emulsions comprising 100 parts by weight cyclic siloxane; from 0.7 to 666 parts emulsifier selected from ethoxylated fatty acids, ethoxylated and non-ethoxylated sorbitan esters, ethoxylated alkyl phenols and ethoxlated ethers; and from 5 to 960 parts water, all parts being in parts by weight. The emulsions are said to be useful for cosmetic and medicinal purposes.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,859,457 discloses hair rinse compositions comprising 0.05 to 0.5% of a cationic surface active agent and a second component selected from higher alcohols and monoglycerides, said second component being present in the composition at 3 to 15 times the weight of the cationic surface active agent.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,982,728 is directed to pumpable cationic fatty alcohol dispersions said to have application in cosmetic hair care and skin care preparations. The dispersions comprise from 10 to 25% by weight of a fatty alcohol and from 0.01 to 1% by weight of a cationic surface active compound.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,902,499 discloses hair conditioner compositions comprising from 0.01 to 10% of a rigid silicone polymer and a volatile carrier. In some embodiments, the compositions additionally comprise from 0.1 to 10% of a lipid vehicle material (preferably selected from fatty alcohols, fatty esters and monoglycerides) and from 0.05 to 5% of a cationic surfactant (preferably a di-fatty alkyl quaternary ammonium compound).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,910,013 discloses hairdressing compositions comprising branched alkyl quaternary ammonium compounds and silicone compounds.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,950,468 discloses a hair treating composition comprising from 0.05 to 2.5% of a dimethyl silicone rubber and from 0.1 to 5.0% of a mixture of stearyl trimonium chloride and behenyl trimonium chloride. The components of the composition are said to adsorb strongly to hair and they are not readily desorbed, even by washing.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,954,335 discloses a hair conditioning composition comprising from 0.1 to 5% of a quaternary ammonium compound (preferably containing two fatty alkyl groups), from 0.1 to 5% of an amidoamine, from 0.5 to 5% of a volatile conditioning compound selected from silicone and aliphatic hydrocarbon, from 1 to 10% of a non-ionic surfactant, preferably, a fatty alkyl pyrolidone, and from 10 to 30% of a polyhydric alcohol, all in a suitable liquid vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,973,476 discloses leave-on hair conditioning compositions comprising 75 to 99.9% volatile silicone and from 0.1 to 10% of at least one functional silicone. The compositions may further comprise optional ingredients such as anti-static agents, organic esters and surfactants, among others.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,976,956 discloses hair-treating compositions comprising at least 0.35% of a water-soluble quaternary ammonium compound, from 0.4 to 15% of an oil soluble, water-dispersible quaternary ammonium compound, from 0.1 to 5% of an acid-neutralized amidoamine, from 0.1 to 2% of a polydimethylsiloxane and a suitable liquid vehicle. The compositions may further contain optional ingredients such as organic cosolvents, illustrative members including lower alcohols, glycols and polyols. Other optional ingredients include long chain fatty alcohols. The compositions are said to be useful either in leave-on or in rinse off products.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,002,762 discloses hair conditioning compositions comprising 0.5 to 12% of particular volatile silicone compounds, 0.5 to 3% of a lipid vehicle material such as fatty alcohols or fatty esters, and 0.2 to 4% of a cationic surfactant.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,288,484 discloses a pre-shampoo conditioning composition comprising from 0.1 to 20% of a particular cationic cellulose, from 0.05 to 20% of a poly (allyidimethylammonium) polymer and from 0.2 to 10% of behenamidopropyl dihydroxypropyl dimonium chloride.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,290,555 discloses a hair conditioner comprising an oil phase and an aqueous phase. The oil phase comprises a variety of volatile and non-volatile silicone components. The aqueous phase comprises olealkonium chloride and PEG-8.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,374,421 discloses hair treatment compositions comprising 0.1 to 10% of a silicone polymer having at least one alkoxy group containing 12 to 22 carbon atoms, said polymer having a melting point of not less than 30.degree. C.; 0.1 to 20% of a cationic surface active agent; 0.1 to 30% of an alcohol having from 12 to 26 carbon atoms; 0.1 to 90% of a water-compatible organic alcohol; and water.
WO 97/07774 discloses a hair treatment composition particularly useful as a rinse-off product that comprises 0.6 to about 10% of a fatty alcohol, 0.01 to 15% of a silicone conditioning agent and from 0.1 to 5% of a monoalkyl trimethylammonium salt. The silicone conditioning agent is preferably non-volatile, and the ammonium salt is preferably behenyl trimethylammonium chloride.
While a number of the above references disclose the combination of silicones and quaternary ammonium salts, we are unaware of any references that disclose hair care compositions that incorporate a silicone compound in conjunction with a fatty quaternary ammonium compound wherein the fatty group is an acyl group, derived, for example, from an amide or ester.
There are a number of important requirements for a leave-on conditioner composition. First, the composition must impart the desired conditioning benefits of manageability, softness and shine. Second, the product should be physically and chemically stable. Third, the composition should be mild and non-irritating to the skin and eyes. This property is especially important when the composition is used on children. Fourth, the product should leave minimal residue on the hair. Finally, the composition should have physical properties such as viscosity that permit its application from a spray dispenser.
Accordingly, one object of the present invention is a conditioning composition that delivers the requisite benefits of hair manageability, softness and shine.
Another object of the invention is to provide a composition that delivers the requisite conditioning benefits and is both physically and chemically stable.
Another object of the invention is to provide a composition that delivers the requisite conditioning benefits and is mild and non-irritating to the skin and eyes.
Another object of the invention is to provide a composition that delivers the requisite conditioning benefits and can be applied to and left on the hair without leaving appreciable residue on the hair.
Another object of the invention is to provide a composition that delivers the requisite conditioning benefits and can be applied to the hair in a variety of physical forms, including a spray.